Chieti travel tips
The distance from Pescara to Chieti is only 20 kilometres. But historically, architecturally and culturally these two provincial capitals in Abruzzo couldn’t be more different. Here are our Chieti travel tips.
After Italian standards Pescara is a wide-spread town with new housing developments and new opportunities attracting new inhabitants from all over Abruzzo. A place for people with an upward social mobility, who are ready to embrace the future. Chieti on the other hand is still centered in a nucleus around the old piazza. And you can almost see the superior views and old bourgeois family values in the design of the beautiful old palazzos and houses. Chieti has style, while Pescara has drive. So my list of Chieti travel tips starts with a piece of advice to the ladies: Remember to bring your heels.
1. Let them entertain you
Chieti is strong on performance art. Last time we visited was during the annual ‘Settimana Mozartiana’, where there were outdoor rhythmic and classical concerts – but no Mozart – around the clock, and where actors walked the streets wearing big wigs and period dresses. A memorable event, but not the only one. In Teatro Marrucino there’s drama, poetry and music throughout the year. And the original name of the place and ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater indicate that the people in Chieti have a long tradition for entertainment.
2. Join a nunnery
One of the spectacular things about Chieti are magnificent views of the Abruzzo mountains and the Adriatic coast. Still, I would very much like to walk along the eaves of Cattedrale di San Giustino, where there’s a most enticing arcade floating from one bell tower to the other. Would be grand to walk there around sunset, but I think you may have to join a nunnery or be an arch bishop to enjoy that privilege.
3. Collect vintage shop signs
I don’t think I have even visited a city with so many vintage shop signs. Walk along the pedestrian area on Corso Marruccino and enjoy shop fronts with the gold lettering and high waisted fonts from the turn of the previous century. Or have a drink or an ice cream at Caffe Vittoria that still has what I believe to be one of the original commercial ads for ‘Aranciata San Pellegrino’ from 1932 in its windows. Chieti is obviously not a sucker for modernity or a town where fashion and tastes change overnight.
4. Dancing with dinosaurs
For a dance with a real dinosaur go to the University Museum in Piazza Trento e Trieste. This biomedic history museum has an exhibition that includes the skeletons of two 135 million year old dinosaurs, an giant egg from the flying Pterosaur reptile and other fossils illustrating natural history and evolution along with a fine collection of mummies from the Abruzzo region. You don’t have to be a child to find these exhibitions profoundly fascinating.
5. Bring a book to Villa Communale
To round off a wonderful day in Chieti I would bring a book to Villa Communale. This public park from 1893 has been the meeting point for generations of Abruzzi with shady trees, fragrant flowerbeds, strange statues and artistic fountains. There’s even a small pond and a playground, where children can run around while their parents and grandparents sit and chat on the benches. A perfect spot to relax, read or do some serious people watching.
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Interesting, thank you :)
I would LOVE to attend the annual ‘Settimana Mozartiana’ festival – What a very cool place. Thanks for the tour Mette.
Yes, it was nice. And there was a great Italian all-girls blues band playing (which is unusual x 3)
Chieti sounds fascinatingly weird. Would love to attend the Mozart week. When is that, btw?
Last year it was in mid-July, but they haven’t published the exact dates for 2014 yet.
This post is very fascinating. Thank you for sharing this. :-)
My pleasure.
A place after my own heart! I love the vintage signs, and also the period dress prancing down the street, how lovely! And reading a book in a park is one of my favorite things to do, both at home and traveling:-)
Mine too. You need a free sanctuaty when you are travelling.
This was fantastic, Mette! Chieti sounds like my kind of place when you talk about the views of the coast and mountains. That would be the best of both worlds for me. Also, I’m a dinosaur lover so the University Museam would be right my alley! :)
I would believe that from a dog lover – What is a dinosaur museum but an exhibition of bones?
Great tips. Seems like the place to be!
It is very recommendable
What a wonderful place. I have never been but it looks like a place to be added to my list. Great tips and photos.
Thank you. I’m sure you’ll get there some day.
yeah! you’re right, it would be fantastic to walk there around sunset! I love sunset. Unfortunately, one have to be an arch bishop to enjoy that.
My inference yes:)
Looks like a really chill city, I wouldn’t mind sitting in that park with some coffee and a good book all day.
Me neither. Could be so relaxing.
We visited Abruzzo in October and you aren’t kidding that the villages can be like night and day. We loved that though! Pescara felt more modern and then just 30 minutes away you could be in a wonderfully crumbling hilltop village that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
You are right. The diversity not just in Abruzzo, but all over Italy is one the the things I love most about the country.
Hi, great article on Chieti! I’d also love to have your feedback on a travel startup Your Local Cousin (www.yourlocalcousin.com) which is an online marketplace connecting tourists with locals so that tourists can plan their trips in a personalized and inexpensive way. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve visited your page and it seems like a fantastic concept. Especially, as some of the guides are willing to help travelers for free:) I’m quite tempted to try it next time I’m in an unknown city.
My father was born in Chieti and left for Australia in the 1950’s.He married and had 9 children.He never went back.His name was Nicola Ale.l would love to visit one day.
You should. Chieti is a really nice place to visit.